Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger
Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger is a 1977 British fantasy film in Metrocolor and Dynarama, the third and final Sinbad film that Ray Harryhausen made for Columbia Pictures after The 7th Voyage of Sinbad and The Golden Voyage of Sinbad. The film stars Patrick Wayne, Taryn Power, Margaret Whiting, Jane Seymour, and Patrick Troughton. It was directed by Sam Wanamaker. Plot In the kingdom of Charak, a celebration is taking place for the coronation of Prince Kassim (Damien Thomas). But Kassim's evil stepmother, Zenobia (Margaret Whiting), places a curse on him and turns Kassim into a baboon (one of Harryhausen's stop-motion creations) just as he was going to be crowned caliph. Sinbad (Patrick Wayne), sailor and Prince of Baghdad, moors at Charak, intent on seeking permission from Prince Kassim to marry Kassim's sister, Princess Farah (Jane Seymour). He quickly gets used to the city and its people, but finds it under curfew. When Sinbad and his men shelter in a nearby tent, one is poisoned and are attacked by Rafi, Zenobia's son, but Sinbad defeats him. Soon a witch (whom the audience later learns is Zenobia) summons a trio of ghouls, which emerge from a fire and attack Sinbad and his men. Sinbad disposes of the ghouls by crushing them under a pile of huge logs. Sinbad meets with Farah, who believes Kassim's curse is one of Zenobia's spells and if Kassim cannot regain his human form within seven moons, then Zenobia's son will be caliph instead. Sinbad, Farah, and the baboon Kassim set off to find the old Greek alchemist named Melanthius (Patrick Troughton), a hermit of on the island of Casgar, who is said to know how to break the spell. Zenobia and Rafi (Kurt Christian) follow in a boat propelled by the robotic bronze Minoton, a magical creature created by the sorceress which looks like a Minotaur. During the voyage, Farah proves to be the only person capable of calming the baboon. Sinbad is convinced that the baboon is Kassim after he witnesses it playing chess with Farah and writing his name on the wall. Sinbad and Farah land at Casgar and find Melanthius and his daughter Dione (Taryn Power), who agree to help them. Melanthius says they must travel to the land of Hyperborea where the ancient civilization of the Arimaspi once existed. On the way to Hyperborea, Melanthius and Dione also become convinced that the baboon is Kassim. Besides Farah, Kassim enjoys having Dione's company and develops a love interest towards her. Zenobia uses a potion to transform herself into a gull to spy on Sinbad. Once aboard his ship, she turns into a miniature human and listens in as Melanthius tells Sinbad how to cure Kassim. Alerted by Kassim, Melanthius and Sinbad capture Zenobia. Unfortunately, her potion spills and a wasp ingests some of it. The wasp grows to enormous size and attacks the two men, but Sinbad kills it with a knife. Zenobia takes what is left of her potion, turns into a gull, and flies back to her own ship. But there is too little of the drink left: While Zenobia is restored to human form and full size, the lower part of her right leg remains a gull's foot. After a long voyage, Sinbad's ship reaches the north polar wastes. Sinbad and his crew trek across the ice to the land of the Arimaspi, but are attacked by a giant walrus. It destroys most of their supplies and kills two men, but Sinbad and the others fend it off with spears. Zenobia uses an ice tunnel to reach the land of the Arimaspi, and she, Rafi, and the Minoton climb subterranean stairs to emerge in the warm, Mediterranean-like valley above. Sinbad and his crew also reach the valley. While resting, they encounter a troglodyte a tall creature somewhat like a fur-covered caveman, with a single horn coming out of the top of its head. The troglodyte proves not dangerous, but rather friendly and follows the adventurers to the giant pyramidal shrine of the Arimaspi. Zenobia and Rafi arrive at the shrine first, but she has no key to enter. She orders the Minoton to remove a block of stone from the pyramid's wall. He succeeds, but the block crushes the Minoton and destabilizes the shrine's power. Sinbad and his friends arrive minutes later, and realize Zenobia has entered the pyramid. They enter the shrine's main chamber, the interior of which is covered in ice and is guarded by a Smilodon frozen in a block of ice. Zenobia orders Rafi to attack Melanthius and is about to hurt Dione with a knife, but he is attacked by Kassim and is killed falling down the temple stairs. Momentarily overcome with grief, Zenobia cradles her son while Sinbad and Melanthius investigate how to get Kassim into the column of light at the top of the shrine which will break the spell. Having come to her senses again and seeing Kassim restored to human form, Zenobia transfers her spirit into the Smilodon. Breaking free of its icy prison, the giant cat attacks the group but the troglodyte then enters the scene and engages the Smilodon in combat. Initially gaining the upper hand and even slamming the beast to the ground, the Smilodon disarms the troglodyte of its spear and pins it to the wall, inflicting more damage before killing it via biting the neck. Sinbad and his men fight against the Smilodon but overpowered by its speed and Maroof is killed. The Smilodon then attacks Sinbad who uses the troglodyte's spear to jab it in the chest, killing the Smilodon and Zenobia. With the spell on Kassim is broken and Zenobia dead, and the adventurers flee the temple as it collapses and buried in snow and ice. Sinbad, Kassim, Farah, Melanthius, and Dione and return home just in time for Kassim to be crowned Caliph. Sinbad and Farah share a kiss. The film fades to black, and the eyes of Zenobia appear on the screen. Cast * Patrick Wayne as Sinbad * Taryn Power as Dione * Margaret Whiting as Zenobia * Jane Seymour as Farah * Patrick Troughton as Melanthius * Kurt Christian as Rafi * Nadim Sawalha as Hassan * Damien Thomas as Kassim * Bruno Barnabe as Balsora * Bernard Kay as Zabid * Salami Coker as Maroof * David Sterne as Aboo-Seer Category:Films Category:Blog posts Category:Location Category:Gwangipedia Category:Cephalopod